CC Stolen

This may not be appropriate for the board but I'm going to try anyway. Three different credit cards I have used for online railroad purchases have been heisted in the past ten months or so. I'm awaiting delivery of my fourth card. Can anyone share any special techniques they use to avoid this problem. Master Card has a "Virtual Account number" that my wife uses and it is pretty slick, but I use Visa for my stuff and the only tool available is "Verify Visa Password." I'm wondering is it effective and/or there any other tools out there? ....Tom

 

I use a Walmart Money Card. I have 4. One is for my trains only. I only put on it the amount I need to spend. If its heisted...no lost funds and its easy to get a new one...same day. Walmart will also refund $$$ if your card is stolen. I am sure there are other security means to use for CC's. I just dont trust em...Just sayin.

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The CitiCard Virtual Account Number is the safest way I know of to buy online. CitiCard issues a unique number for that one-time purchase only. Once the e-tailer's system accepts that card number, CitiCard locks it and it can not be used by anyone else, including hackers and other nasties.

Other methods I'm aware of put you, your cash, and your credit at risk. You will lose up to whatever limit is on the card, even with the Wal-Mart cards. It may not be much, but it's still lost, plus the POA factor of having to cancel, and reapply. Also I believe each card loss is reported to the credit bureaus, which stays on your records as a negative for a long time.

 

I use paypal for online purchases. No numbers to heist.

 

Just to help clarify.....

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Thanks, I wasn't aware that W-M's CC policy was different.

Having retired from the computer industry, I don't trust anything about public access. I know what I was capable of doing 15-20 years ago, and there are a whole bunch of "kids" out there who are much brighter than I ever was.

 

Well, sounds like--if this has happened thrice--you have a breach somewhere. So either one of the companies you are purchasing from is being hacked or has a dishonest employee, or you are being hacked.

Definitely make sure you have a current antivirus program on your computer and at least some kind of hardware router/firewall setup. Might be worth the effort to have a professional look at it and clean things up. Also, change your passwords to any online CC accounts, bank accounts, hobby vendor site accounts, etc. (and make them all "secure" and different, especially given your circumstances)

I would also contact the shops you are dealing with and let them know you have had multiple issues. If they have had other complaints it might key them in to a problem as well. You could also see if they have some alternative means of handling your account, at least until you are comfortable with whatever new card security measures you implement.

I thought I had heard that Citi discontinued the virtual card program but maybe not. Don't know much about the other options but the Wal-Mart one sounds interesting.

 

Have you tried Identity Theft Protection - Avoid ID & Credit Fraud - LifeLock ? They have a million dollar gurantee . The owner used to post his social security number and dare hackers to even TRY to hack into it.....Mike

 

I buy a LOT of stuff online, and I mean a LOT. Not only train stuff, but lots of household goods, food, etc... Amazon, eBay, several online hobby shops - I've never had a card number stolen. I agree with the others, you might want to have your computer checked - three different cards in less than a year seems suspicious...

 

Also verify that all utility companies/banks/billing companies have your correct address, and possibly sign up for e-billing when possible. They say 80% of identity theft is via stolen mail. And hey, ya save a tree in the process.

 

I feel fortunate that I have never had that happen to me.
I am older, and somewhat un-trusting of people in general, so I make it a practice to do NO online banking. I do all my banking face to face over the tellers counter. I use ONLY paypal for online purchases. I NEVER give my # to any other site. I use a bank debit card, as opposed to a CC, so there is a limit to what they can steal.

 

Do you use your card at restaurants often? I heard most credit card number theft happens from restaurants. You're charged then charged again if you leave a tip, so your data is really vulnerable in those istuations. Leave a cash tip instead or better yet, use cash when dining out.

 

In the Portland Metro area, we've recently had two major breaches of credit card information perpetrated by small knots of employees at certain businesses. There was one ring that was surreptitiously swiping credit/debit cards through a reader on the way to the pump (here we have no self serve) and stealing your info that way. In the other case, some ne'er-do-wells working at a popular nation-wide chain of craft stores was doing something similar. Needless to say, these folks all found themselves unemployed in a down economy.

It may not be railroad suppliers but some other clown you regularly visit.

 

I order most stuff through my LHS. I save on shipping, and he gives me a 10-15% discount. I try to always pay in cash at the shop. That saves him the credit card fee, and improves his bottom line while not costing me a dime.